It Wasn't a Little Cold

Well, I can never do things without a bang, can I?! That little cold that I had was not going away. I was coughing a lot, especially at night, and then Sunday night I coughed up a lot of blood. We went to the emergency room and they were going to send us home because my throat just looked a little irritated from the coughing. But they did a chest x-ray to find out why I was coughing, and what do you know! I have pneumonia! Fortunately, because I was already on antibiotics, I didn't get really sick from it like I normally do. Which is why Mommy didn't suspect pneumonia. I didn't even have a fever or any wheezing. Just a cough and fast breathing, and that's usually from my asthma. Also, I wasn't actually coughing UP blood, turns out the coughing was making my throat bleed. But the doctors said as long as it stops quickly on its own, which it was, that it was okay. I was admitted for observation at 5 am on Monday after spending all night in the ER, and then we were released at 11:30 am (but of course, the discharge orders weren't ready until 4 hours later). Mommy couldn't believe on the way home that we weren't even gone from our house for 24 hours. It sure felt like longer!

Everything went pretty well. The doctors were very good about listening to Mommy and all she knows about me. One of them remembered her from a previous visit and said, "Oh, yeah! You're that smart mom! You know so much about Emily." Mommy just said, "Well, I'm her mom!" Also, I was on an oxygen monitor while I was there, and my O2 level never went below 90. Can you believe that?!

So now I am taking steroids for a couple of days and I got some strong antibiotics through the IV, so I am feeling much better. I started sounding very hoarse at the hospital and I stopped swallowing my drool, so Mommy could tell that my throat was hurting worse than it had all week. Sometimes after surgery, kids come home with Tylenol with Codeine, but I was just getting regular Tylenol. Mommy asked for the stronger stuff while we were there this time, and they said sure. That has made me feel much better. Mommy gives it to me about an hour before each meal, and I am eating a little more now. I am not wincing each time I swallow, and I have not coughed up any more blood either.

Mommy has taken good care of me all week, but she was starting to lose her mind because she hadn't left the house (other than trips to the hospital) since Halloween! Not even to visit Mary next door! Papa came to stay with me yesterday so Mommy could finally go out and go grocery shopping. It's a good thing I wasn't eating because we had no food! Mommy and Daddy were eating soup from the hurricane supply kit. Even Spike was eating cooked rice, because we were out of his food. He really didn't seem to mind though!

Now things are finally starting to get back to normal around here! Here are some pictures of me with my hospital food, in my crib "cage," and with my daddy. Thanks to everyone who was thinking of me!

Just a little note to remember my Grandma, who passed away 9 years ago today. It makes my mommy sad to know we have never met, but I can feel her in my heart and soul. And Mommy says I'm fiesty just like she was. We miss you now more than ever!